T-wolves ride wind to big win

Tuesday

May 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM

MANTECA - Sierra's playoff chances got a big boost from senior Gerald Parente's two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, which gave the Timberwolves' a crucial 6-4 Valley Oak League win over Manteca on Monday at Sierra High.

Scott Niendorf

MANTECA - Sierra's playoff chances got a big boost from senior Gerald Parente's two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, which gave the Timberwolves' a crucial 6-4 Valley Oak League win over Manteca on Monday at Sierra High.

The Timberwolves (16-8-1, 9-4 VOL) play at Manteca (15-7, 9-4) today with the final playoff berth at stake. The teams are tied for second place behind Oakdale in a league logjam that includes Kimball and East Union.

On Monday, the wind was blowing out to center field, and all of Sierra's runs came via the long ball. The Timberwolves got a solo home run from starting pitcher Marc Wilson in the bottom of the fourth and a two-run blast from junior Ian Rodriguez three batters later. Both shots came off Manteca starter Lucas Vaughn and gave Sierra a 3-0 lead.

"Home runs are instant runs," Sierra coach Jack Thomson said. "It was good to see the lower part of the order swinging the bat well. (Rodriguez's) hit was on a hit-and-run so we kind of forced him to swing the bat there. He's been our most improved player."

But the Buffaloes bounced back with two runs in the top of the fifth on junior Jacob Corn's two-out, two-run double down the right-field line to score Vaughn and sophomore Dominick Pisano to cut the lead to 3-2 before Parente's home run.

"(Parente's) home run was huge because you could see a little momentum change for Manteca," Thomson said. "That (hit) swung the momentum back in our favor."

Said Parente: "The coaches told us before the game to hit it (toward center). The (home run) pitch looked big - a fastball up. I hit it and was surprised that it went out. I thought for sure it was just a double."

Manteca rallied with two runs in the seventh on junior William Reeder's two-run single to left that scored junior Ezequiel Diaz and Pisano before sophomore Ryan Vasquez came on in relief to strike out Nicholas Luccetti for the third out to end the game.

"Sierra got some timely hitting," Manteca coach Gene Ballardo said. "Our guys are fighters and played hard. (Today's) game will be a good one for the fans. One team will keep playing and the other will go home."